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Lesotho
|national_motto = "Khotso, Pula, Nala" (Sesotho) "Peace, Rain, Prosperity" |national_anthem = Lesotho Fatse La Bontata Rona Lesotho, land of our Fathers |official_languages = English Sesotho |demonym = Mosotho (singular), Basotho (plural) |capital = Maseru |latd =29 |latm=28 |latNS=S |longd=27 |longm=56 |longEW=E |largest_city = Maseru |government_type = Unitary parliamentary democracy and Constitutional monarchy |leader_title1 = King |leader_title2 = Prime Minister |leader_name1 = Letsie III |leader_name2 = Pakalitha Mosisili |area_rank = 140th |area_magnitude = 1 E10 |area_km2 = 30,355 |area_sq_mi = 12,727 |percent_water = negligible |population_estimate = 2,067,000 |population_estimate_rank = 144th |population_estimate_year = 2009 |population_census = 2,031,348 |population_census_year = 2004 |population_density_km2 = 68.1 |population_density_sq_mi = 162.4 |population_density_rank = 138th |GDP_PPP = $3.444 billion |GDP_PPP_year = 2011 |GDP_PPP_per_capita = $1,666 |GDP_nominal = $2.127 billion |GDP_nominal_year = 2010 |GDP_nominal_per_capita = $1,029 |sovereignty_type = Independence |established_event1 = from the United Kingdom |established_date1 = October 4, 1966 |HDI = 0.427 |HDI_change = increase |HDI_ref = Human Development Report 2009. The United Nations. Retrieved 15 October 2009. |HDI_rank = 141st |HDI_year = 2010 |HDI_category = low |Gini = 63.2 |Gini_ref = |Gini_year = 1995 |Gini_category = very high |currency = Lesotho loti |currency_code = LSL |country_code = |time_zone = SAST |utc_offset = +2 |time_zone_DST = |utc_offset_DST = |drives_on = left |cctld = .ls |calling_code = +266 |footnotes = 1 Estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected.}} Lesotho is a small country in southern Africa. Its population is about 1,800,000. The capital of Lesotho is called Maseru. Geography Lesotho has no coast on the sea nor on a lake. This type of country is called landlocked, meaning it is surrounded by land. All of Lesotho's trade must either be flown in by aeroplane, or brought in by land. Lesotho position is unusual: it is completely surrounded by the country of South Africa and has no borders with any other country. This type of country is called an enclave. Enclave countries are very rare, but Lesotho is one (there are only two other countries like this, San Marino and the Vatican City). This makes Lesotho's relationship with South Africa very important to them both. Lesotho has many mountains and is one of the most mountainous countries in the world. All of Lesotho is at least 1,400 m above sea level. People sometimes travel there to ski in winter. The many mountains in Lesotho mean that it rains there a lot. Lesotho uses some of its water to generate electricity and sells some of the water to South Africa. History Lesotho became a country in 1818, but it was then called Basutoland. A man called Moshoeshoe brought several of the groups of people in the area together and formed a new country with him as its king. This new country came under attack from its enemies and in 1868 Moshoeshoe asked Queen Victoria of Great Britain for help. Great Britain said it would help if Lesotho became part of the British Empire. Lesotho eventually gained its independence on 4 October 1966. Now it is a member of the British Commonwealth. King Letsie III is the ruler of Lesotho. Cities Related pages *Lesotho at the Olympics *Lesotho national football team *List of rivers of Lesotho References Category:Lesotho Category:States and territories established in the 1960s Category:1966 establishments Category:Current monarchies Category:Least developed countries Category:1960s establishments in Africa